The prior art includes a variety of types of manuals and a variety of special types of special computer programs designed to introduce the student to certain features of a selected computer program. Manual or text based systems are totally unsatisfactory because a large portion of potential users have neither the patience nor discipline to learn how to use a computer program by reading a manual.
Computer based interactive software training systems are generally preferable to text based systems because they require less discipline and patience on the part of the student. Naturally, such systems still generally need to be complemented with a reference manual for use after the initial training is complete. The present invention is a new computer based software training system.
One of the major shortcomings of most prior art computer based software training systems is that the development of courseware (i.e., tutorials) for each new application is very expensive, and thus the cost to the consumer is so high that only a small fraction of the potential market for such systems can afford them.
Another major shortcoming of most prior art computer based software training systems has been their failure to provide oral instructions in conjunction with visual instructions. Oral instruction substantially reduces the amount effort required by the student to learn how to use a new software package.
A related shortcoming of many prior art computer based software training systems is their inability to simultaneously give oral instruction while simulating the entry of commands or data from the keyboard. The provision of such a capability enhances the quality of the tutorials that can be provided by a software training system.
Yet another shortcoming of many prior art computer based software training systems is that they simulate the use of the target software program rather than giving the user actual experience using the program. Such prior art software training system are also expensive to develop because they require the writing of a separate training program for each target software program, must duplicate many of the features of the target computer program, and must be debugged just as carefully and thoroughly as any computer program.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved computer based software training system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a software training system which can simultaneously give oral instruction while simulating the entry of commands or data from the keyboard.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a software training system which facilitates the economical development of courseware.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a software training system which gives the user actual experience using the target software program.